LEWIS RUN — While 2019 proved to be a good year at the Federal Correctional Institution-McKean, administrators at the facility located south of Bradford expect to see more accomplishments in 2020.

That was the overall message delivered by FCI-McKean Warden Brad Trate Thursday during the Community Relations Board (CRB) annual Christmas party at the institution.

The event was attended by board members who represented several professions from organizations such as the McKean County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Forest Service, as well as representatives from communities in the area.

Trate started out by noting there are approximately 276 staff members who fill the 300 available positions at the facility.

“We are still hiring … we’ve been very busy the last year,” he said. “We’ve hired, promoted, and transferred in and out over 106 people over the last 12 months.”

As for highlights of the year, Trate said FCI-McKean recently received an outstanding rating for its Institution Character Profile, and an honorable mention for safety and security for all staff and inmates.

“This facility received the highest rating given to a federal prison,” Trate said. “Ninety-seven percent of the staff here like coming to work here and feel safe; and 89 percent of the inmates incarcerated here feel safe … it’s a testament of the hard work our staff does.”

Trate said the institution also celebrated its 30th anniversary last summer; increased its affirmative employment by over 106 percent; and eliminated the facilitation of contraband introduction into the camp facility by thinning the tree line and adding a fence. Cameras and egress alarms were also added to the camp facility.

Trate said the facility also upgraded the concrete infrastructure, the housing unit door infrastructure and the recreation department. Upgrades were also implemented in the camp facility, as well as with the institution’s camera system, among others.

He said FCI-McKean’s goals for 2020 include maintaining all program reviews at an acceptable or higher level rating; completing the housing unit door project; increasing programming and GED completions; and providing a better, positive, productive working environment for staff and inmates.

Heidi Baez-Patino, executive assistant and camp administrator, told the gathering that she and other officials would like to see the number of CRB members increase.

“We would like to ask for your assistance in increasing our numbers,” Baez-Patino told the board members. She said administrators would welcome and consider business owners, law enforcement representatives and other professions to serve on the board.

“We’re still recruiting (new staff) so it would be helpful if we have folks (from the community) who know what we’re doing,” Baez-Patino added. She said FCI-McKean is also hopeful of increasing the number of inmates provided for community service projects.

During the event, members of the board also introduced themselves and were provided a small complimentary gift bag from the institution.